Motor Development
Around 7 to 12 months:
- Get themselves into a sitting position without your assistance
- Crawl forwards
- Get into a hands and knees position Go from sitting to a crawling position Pull themselves up to stand
- Walk holding onto furniture (“cruising”) Use index finger and thumb to pick up objects (“pincer grasp”)
- First, they use the pads of their fingers, then progress to using the tips.
By 15 months:
- Takes a couple of steps on their own
- Tries using their fingers to eat
By 18 months:
- Walks on their own
- Climbs onto and off furniture without help Feeds themselves using their fingers
- Tries using a spoon
- Drinks from a cup without a lid (but spills sometimes!)
- Scribbles
Talk to your child’s healthcare provider if by 18 months:
- Your baby cannot walk
- Your baby doesn’t walk with a heel-toe walking pattern after they have been walking for several months (for example, walks only on their tiptoes)
What to Try:
- Have a variety of materials that support climbing, crawling, tracking, throwing, jumping, and getting their body to move (balls, slides, tunnels, pillows to climb on, push-pull toys).
- For fine motor skills, try finger paints (nontoxic and safe if they eat some) and crayons! Tape down butcher paper so your little one can get comfortable while they practice making lines, squiggles, and shapes.
- Water play. Play in the bathtub, get a water table, or start with painting. Let your toddler have a sensory experience playing and dumping water.
- Be aware of safety concerns as their motor skills advance. Baby proofing is a must, and it’s vital to monitor them when they’re exploring small objects that could be choking hazards.
Social & Communication Development
Around 7 to 12 months:
- Imitation during play
- Awareness of caregiver’s responses to their behavior (looks to you to see how you react, anticipates disapproval, loves to make you laugh)
- Preference for attachment figures
- Difficulty being left with another caregiver/babysitter
- Shyness around strangers
- Shows you objects that they like Claps to show excitement
- Hugs stuffed animals or other toys Shows you affection with hugs or cuddles
By 18 months:
- Explores, but checks that you are close Points to show you things
- Puts hands out for you to wash them Helps you get them dressed (for example, pushes their arm through a sleeve)
- Your child doesn’t say at least 15 words by 18 months.
- Your child does not imitate actions, gestures, or words.
- Imitate them and encourage them to imitate you. Research has shown that toddlers are more likely to engage in play with someone who has imitated them.
- Pause before reacting to a challenging behavior. In the pause, you can act with intention, access your thinking brain and make a decision you feel good about. Without the pause, you can accidentally model dysregulation for your child, and teach them more about yelling or flying off the handle than you would like.
- Notice the stuff that goes well. Your toddler LOVES your attention. It’s a powerful feeling to get a reaction out of you. Give your attention to what your toddler is doing right, instead of the stuff you would like them to forget forever. Whatever behavior you give attention to is likely to increase (good or bad).
Cognitive Development
Around 7 to 12 months:
- Curiosity about cause and effect
- Greater complexity as they explore objects
- Strong grasp of object permanence
- Finds hidden objects more easily
- Difficulty with separations from caregiver
By 15 months:
- Uses everyday objects the right way (book, phone, cup)
- Stacks at least two small objects
By 18 months:
- Follows simple directions (“Give it to me”) Easily finds objects
- Starts to engage in pretend play (pretending to talk on the phone)
- Knows the use of everyday objects (brush, phone, fork)
Talk to your child’s healthcare provider if:
- By 15 months, they don’t seem to know the use of common household objects.
What to Try:
- Pair movement with language to create multisensory learning experiences. For example, while you move a car up a ramp, say, “The car goes up, up, up!”
- Play hide and seek with a favorite toy. Repeat similar language each time you play to help them master the game (“Where’s the elephant? I wonder where he’s hiding. Let’s check under here… You found him!”). Make it more challenging to stretch their skills.
- Narrate simple problem solving skills out loud. “Hmmm this piece is a little too big. Let’s try moving it here.” Even if they don’t understand every word you say, you are modeling how to learn from trial and error.
- Use everyday household objects during play. Since toddlers love to imitate you, they are highly motivated to pretend to do things they see you do!
- Try to offer materials that are open- ended, have multiple uses, and do not have their own set agenda!